


Confidentiality

by dudski



Category: The Office (US)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-12-25
Updated: 2006-12-25
Packaged: 2017-11-06 04:54:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 933
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/414908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dudski/pseuds/dudski
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Awkward conversations in bars!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Confidentiality

**Author's Note:**

> Written for allthingsholy in the 2006 Yankee Fic Swap.

She stops short when she walks in and sees him sitting at the bar. He's hunched over his beer a little, staring straight ahead at his reflection in the mirror like he doesn't even see it there. She'd assumed she would be safe at Cooper's - from what she's picked up on her visits to the Scranton branch and the endless messages Michael's been leaving her for the last six months, anyone headed to a bar after Casino Night would end up at Poor Richard's. Of course, she shouldn't be so surprised - it's not like anything about this night had happened as she'd [expected? hoped?] it would. _It could be worse_ , she thinks - Toby, at least, won't force any more conversation or interaction than she wants. She briefly considers leaving before he spots her, but there's really no point - one way or the other, Toby won't mind if she avoids him, and even if he were offended he wouldn't let it show.

She considers sitting elsewhere, but decides against it - she's never been comfortable with the idea of drinking alone in a booth, and, pathetic as she feels tonight, she's not quite there yet, so she heads to the bar and sits a few seats down from Toby, flashing a tight smile at him when he glances up at her, the first movement she's seen from him since she came in.

Even though she predicted it, his silence surprises her - she realizes it's because she's never seen him out of the office before, and quiet, supportive HR Toby and quiet, drinking Toby are two different people. She feels she should respect his silence - after all, it's his town and he was here first - but she finds herself speaking anyway.

"What brings you out to Cooper's?" She feels foolish as soon as she says it, but decides she doesn't care - she's had a shitty night, with even her second chance going wrong, and she figures Toby won't hold her chattiness against her.

She's right, of course, as he grins a little, looking down at the bar in front of him. "I figured I wouldn't run into anyone here," he says, but he sounds more amused than annoyed, like he knows she was trying to get away too. For whatever reason, she keeps going.

"So, how long do you see this realtor thing lasting before he ruins it somehow?" It's risky territory, but for some reason she really does want to talk about it - and when else can she? Her social circle - or, rather, what's left of it after the divorce - is mainly ambitious corporate types like herself who would be aghast at her lack of professionalism, and even if that weren't a factor, this conversation simply can't be had with someone who doesn't understand the inherent strangeness of any kind of relationship with Michael Scott. She needs this, she realizes. She's never really been able to talk about it - she came close, earlier, with Jim, she hadn't been able to fully explain herself. She remembered what had happened the last time she'd had a heart-to-heart with a Scranton employee, even if Jim wouldn't have caused half the trouble Michael had. She'd quickly changed the subject, he'd gone back inside shortly after, and she left, driving around for hours and wondering what would happen if she went back and found him. [She never used to question herself this much.] Eventually, though, she accidentally solved the problem for herself - she drove aimlessly for so long that everyone at the warehouse would be long gone. For lack of any better ideas, she'd stopped here.

"I don't know if I should--" Toby snaps her out of her thoughts, and she looks at him in confusion as he stops, clearly struggling with whether he should continue. Eventually, his diplomatic and responsible side loses out, and he grins. "Another week or two, probably," he says. "I don't know if he'll make it past the third or fourth date, she'll have to quit around then."

"I don't know - she's nice, but not _that_ nice - he can't last that long."

"That's what she said," Toby retorts with a reserved smile, and while it's not the best Michael impression she's seen (that honor goes to Jim, who'd been reenacting a disastrous sales call without realizing she was there), she still laughs genuinely, and in the comfortable silence that follows she wonders if Toby's always like this outside the office. When she looks up, though, he's giving the mirror that detached, beaten look again, like their brief interaction used up what little energy he had left.

He clears his throat and stands. "I should get going," he says. "I've got Sasha tomorrow." It occurs to her how very unfair it is that Michael, of all people, had two dates tonight, when Toby doesn't even get his own daughter most days, and she's angry for a minute before realizing that she's no better than Michael - her divorce, at least, was mutual, and she's subjecting Toby to discussions about her relationship problems. She remembers the months of unreliability and depression that nearly cost him his job before he got it back together, and wonders how he did it, if there was anyone who listened to him, for a change.

She smiles at him as he goes, giving a half-hearted wave, and she calls out to him just before he reaches the door. "Toby."

He doesn't answer, just turns and looks at her.

"If you ever need to talk," she starts, but she trails off, because they both know it'll never happen.

That's just not how it works.


End file.
